Compound slab and wall constructed therefrom



Feb. 14, 1928.

G. R. MEYERCORD COMPOUND SLAB AND WALL CONSTRUCTED THEREFROM 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. v .1927 @9 Feb. 14, 1928. 1,659,326

G. R. MEYERCORD COMPOUND SLAB AND WALL CONSTRUCTED THEREFROM Filed S4 1' 927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 flj ig J Patented Feb? '14, 1928.

JUNI/TED STATES-PATENT orrlca.

enonen n. mnxnnoonn, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR roman vIrnoLIrE' com :P'ANY, A ooRroRA'rIoN on wns'r VIRGINIA.

comrounn SLAB Ann WALL oons'rnucrnn rnnnnrnoml Application filed September 17, 1927." Serial No. 226,14 2.

Slabs of vitreous material are used largely for construction purposes as, for example, to form .Wainscoting, walls of counters, booths and the like. Such material whose charac- 5 teristics are largely those of glass, whn used alone, must be madecomparatively thick; and even then it is difiicult and expensive to secure the slabs in place and to each other. The primary object. of the present invenpound slab or panel consisting of a strong tough backing and a'facing of vitreous or other frangible material, inthe form of a thin slab or thick sheet cemented to it; whereby the slab as a whole is very strong, may be handled and shipped without fear of break-.

age, and whereby slabs may be accurately and effectively joined together or to a wall with a minimum of labor at the assembly point. J

The various features of novelty whereby my invention 'is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but for a full explanation of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a fragment of a wall having a wainscoting composed of slabs embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a section on an enlarged scale taken approximately on line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig.3 is an elevation of twoslabs separated from each other preparatory to joining them together, only fragments of the slabs being shown and portions of these fragments being broken away; Fi 4 isa view' similar to Fig. 3, showing tie slabs joined together; Fig. 5' is a transverse section through two modified forms of slabs about to be joined together; and Fig. 6 is a View similar to Fi 5, showing the two slabs engaged with eac other. p

Referring to the' first five figures of the drawings, 1 represents a wall having a Wainscotingformed of slabs or panels arranged edge toedge. Each slab consists ofa sturdy lumber backing and a facing of vitreous or 60 other frangible material,preferably of the type known as vitrolite. In the arrangement shown, the lumber backing consists of a thick core 2 of plywood, faced on the front and- 5 is in the form of one or thick sheets cemented to the front face of 1 tion is to produce a'simple and novel comslabs may be placed directly the rear with sheet metal cemented thereto,

as indicated at 3 and4. The vitreous facing t5 more thin slabs or the backing. A compound slab, thus formed,

possesses the toughness of the metal-sheathed lumberv and can therefore be handled'and shipped without danger of cracking'or breakmg as would be the case with a thick slab composed only of vitreous material. Furthermore, about the only practicable way of securing the slab of vitreous material to a wallis to place it against Wet plaster; thus requiring a wall of tile or other material to be wholly or partially covered with suitable plastic material that would adhere both to the wall and the slab, and making it difiicult accurately to set a plurality of slabs edge to edge and in perfect alignment with each other. J

My impriioved slab permits simple mechanical fastenings to be employed, so that the against the sur face to be covered, wit out interposing plaster .or other plastic material. For example, small metal plates,rsuch as indicated at 6, may be fastened to the back ofeach slab adjacentto one vertical edge and be allowed to project beyond such edge. When the slab is, set against the wall, screws 70 or other fastening means may be passed through the projecting plate or plates and into the wall, thus firmly securing the slab to the wall along one edge of the slab. When the next slab is set against the ed e of the one that has been secured in place, it overlies the projecting ends of the plates and conceals them. Then, if suitable fastening means are I provided between the meeting edges of the,

two slabs, both of the slabs will be held securely against the wall.

, Perhaps the sim lest'way of-joining two slabs together at t eir meeting edges islby means of keys, since it is only necessary to provide fastening mean'sthat will hold the slabs against displacement in the directions that would produce an offset at joint. In the arrangement shown, the backing of each slab is provided with a deep narrow saw-cut 7 extending lengthwise therein. These saw cuts are accurately spaced with respect to the front faces of the slabs, so that when two slabs are placed edge to edge, the meeting saw cuts or grooves will register with each other. If keys are employed I prefer to use discs such as indicated at 8, these I burr in one of the grooves that might in terfere with the entry of a key, the rounded edges of the discs will produce a combined wedging and shearing action that will clear away the burr and permit ready entry'of the discs into the groove. If the grooves are continuous,as shown, pegs such as shown at v 9 in Fig. 3 may be driven into the grooves at intervals to act as supportspnrwhich the discs may rest when they are first placed in one of the grooves.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown a modification adapted to prevent chipping of the front corners if the workmen are careless in pushing two slabs together, edge to edge. The frangible facing 10 is extended somewhat beyond the side edges of the backing 11 and, on the edges of the backing are placed cushions 12., These cushions normally project outwardly beyond the vitreous material so that two slabs will first engage .each other through their cushions when brought together. The cushions are so made that they will effectively check the movements of two slabs approaching closely to each other, but will yield under reasonable,

pressure to permit the edges of the vitreous facings to touch each other. Y

While I have illustrated and described a single preferred form of my invention, with a single modification, I do not .wish to be limited to the specificdetails thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements coming within the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims. i Y

I claim:

1. A constructiom material comprising metal-sheathed lumber and a slablike frangible material cemented to a face thereof.

:2. A. construction material comprising a backing of plywood having sheet metal facings cemented to both sides thereof, and slablike frangible material cemented to and concealing one of the metal facings.

3. A construction material comprising a backing of plywood having sheet metal facings cemented to both sides thereof, and sheet vitreous material cemented to and concealing one of ,the metal facings.

4. A panel adapted for construction purposes comprising metal sheathed lumber and a slablike frangible material cemented to and concealing the front face of the lumber, and a metal plate secured to the back of the lumber and projecting beyond a side edge of the panel.

5. In combination, two members arranged edgeto edge, and having longitudinal registering grooves in the meeting edges, and discs of a thickness equal to the width of the grooves lying partly in the groove in one of said'members and partly in the groove in the other member.

(i. In combinationytwo members arranged edge to edge and having long deep longitudinal registering grooves in their meeting edges, discs arranged in said grooves, said discs having a diameter less thanthe combined depths of the two grooves and greater than the depth of one groove and a thickness approximately equal to the width of the grooves. L l p 7. A slab comprising a backing panel, a facing panel of frangible material secured to the backing panel and projecting,a short distance beyond the side edges of the latter. and cushions secured tothe side edges of the backing panel and projecting beyond the side edges of the facing panel, said cushions being sufiiciently resistant to require considerable pressure to permit the edges of two slabs arranged side by side to be brought together, I

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

GEORGE. R. MEYERCORD. 

